Apparatus for heating and sterilizing fluids.



. No.' sa|,|59 Patented Aug. 2U-xit. A'. G. wATEBHousE & .1. s. Fosses. APPARATUS FUR HEATING AND STERILIZING FLUIIIS` (Applicstinn filed Feb. 24, 1900.)

y UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. ADDISON G. WATERHOUSE AND JOHN S. FORBES, OF PHILADELPHIA,

` PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO SAID FORBES.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND STERILIZING FLUIDS.

SPECIFICATION fOImillg part Of LetteI'S Patent NO. 681,159, dated August 20, 1901.

Application filed February 24, 1900. Serial. NOI 6,381 (N model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ADDISON G. WATER- l HOUSE and JOHN S. FORBES, citizens of the I y being transformed into vapor by being grad uallyraised to a higher temperature and then reduced toits normal temperature by having the heat transferred from the outilowing to `the inlowing fluid passing through the apparatus.

\ The object of our invention is to construct an apparatus of the class referred to which l y will be applicable to plants of large capacity z 5 l tachable and made in separate units, so that for city supply, having its separate parts dey the means employed for furnishing the heat required can be produced at a single furnace `and distributed economically to the various units comprising the entire apparatus."`

l In order to Afully set forth our invention,

M y reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, made a part hereof, in which- Figurel shows diagrammatcally a system `with parts arranged according to our invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional vienT of one of the heat-exchanges. Fig. 3 shows a means of employing electricity for heating. i Referring to Fig. l, B is a boiler for generating steam.

E E E are a series of heat-exchan ges. Each exchange is divided into two compartments e e by a partition al, which forms a Weir at its S `upper end, so `that the Water will flow from `one compartment into the other.` The heat of the water after it has been raised to its `highest temperature and as it is passing down the compartment e is transferred to the incoming cold Water or other fluid, so that the outgoing lluidis cooled While the incoming fluid is heated to a certain degree.

"S is a steam-circulating pipe connected to the upper part of the boiler by a pipe s and to the lower part of the boiler by a pipe s'.

S represents steam-pipescounectedl to the circulating-pipe S. Each steam-pipe S passes through the upper part of the chamber e of each heat-exchange E, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Valves are provided by cutting out any one or all of the heat-exchanges, if necessary.

I is the supply-pipe for Water or other iluid, connected to the lower part of the compartment e of the heat-exchange by a pipe i, having a valve i.

K is the main return-pipe, connected to the lower part of the compartment e of each heat-exchange by a pipe 7c, having a valve lo.

In operation the fluid to be treated starts from the tank or reservoir A, which has a Water-level constantly maintained at the line represented by L, so that the fluid is free to pass from A down pipe mI and fill the com-l partment e of the heat-exchange E up to the Water-line L, Where it is stopped by gravitation from rising any higher or flowing over the partition d. If at this point steam at a pressure above atmosphere is passed through the pipe which is surrounded by the Water or lluid in e, it Will cause such fluid to boil or come to a state of ebullition, which would raise `its surface in the form of froth at a higher level than L and cause it to flow over the top of the partition d and pass down the compartment e in a heated condition.` The hot fluid flowing in e must lill this compartment before it can rise to the level of the discharge K. Therefore the heatfrom the duid in e will pass by conduction through the partition CZ into the cold fluid entering at e, so by the time the hot fluid in e sinks to the bottom of e it will have given up its heat to the fluid passing up into e, so that the cold fluid passing in e reaches the top hot, while the hot fluid flowing over into e passes outat K' cold. Therefore the same heat is used over and over again, and but a small amount of appliedheat is required to operate the apparatus.

The heat employed is applied Within the heat-exchange Without having to conduct the lluid to and' from separate heaters, so that IOO this heat can be generated in large quantities by a single generator,which makes it practicable to operate an unlimited -nulnber of heaters and heat-exchanges.

Our present invention is not coniined to Operating the apparatus by Causing the State of ebullition which is incidental to the boiling-point, as described in Letters Patent No. 615,932 and in subsequent applications filed in the Patent Office, but is applicable lto cases wherein the expansive effect of any degree of heat is raised regardless of the boiling-point or either directlybr indirect-ly applied to the fluid under treatment for causing the fluid to pass through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 shows a series of heat-exchanges E E', into which heat is imparted by means of an electric current (represen ted by the dynamo D, conductors. D', and the resist-antics D2, placed within each heat-exchange) in place of the steam-pipe S, as shown in Fig.y 2. These electrical resistances can be arranged in multiple, asshofwn, or in series by being provided with suitable shunts and switches for cutting the current on and oli.

We claim as our inven tionl. The process of sterilizing iiuids whereby the fluid under treatment has its temperature first gradually raised in a heat-.exchange by t L names to this specilication in the presence of heat supplied to it from outfiowing hot fluid, the Said temperature being finally brought,

by means of heatfconductors Within the said l exchange placed near the surface of the fluid, to a point at which the, said uid will he caused to expand sufiiciently to cause it to Y new overa Weir in said heat-exchange placed at a height above the level of the source of Huid-supply, substantially as described.

2. The method of imparting heat to a fluid, the same consisting in subjecting it to preliminary heating Within a heat-exchange and then further raising its temperature by conducting heat therethrough at a point near the normal level of the fluid and below the level of its source of supply, substantially as described.

3. The process of sterilizing fluids whereby, after a portion of iiuid has been gradually heated to a certain point, the said iiuid is further heated to adegree sufticient to destroy germ life and to cause it to flow over a Weir by heat .supplied from heat-conductors extending through the tluid at a point near the surface of said fluid, substantially as described.

4. The process of Sterilizing tiuid, the same i consisting in gradually heating said duid to a certain extent in one compartment of a heat-exchange, supplying further heat from conductors placed within and just below the normal sur-face of the fluid thereby causing said fluid to enter the second compartment of the said exchange, and cooling the sterilized iiuid.

In testimony whereof we have signed our two subscribing Witnesses.

ADDISON G. WATERHOUSE. JOHN S. FORBES. Witnesses: l

RQBERT W. LLOYD, .CHARLES SANDERSOM 

